Fountain nozzles for generating plural unaerated water streams

ABSTRACT

An ornamental fountain nozzle comprises an elongate body which defines therein a chamber having a lower water inlet opening and an upper water outlet opening. A plug is fixedly disposed across the chamber at the outlet opening. The plug has a portion of its length disposed within a portion of the chamber which has walls defining a cylinder of constant cross-sectional configuration and extending from the outlet opening along the chamber for a distance greater than the extent of the plug within the body. The plug has peripheral walls outside the body arranged to define an extension of the cylinder. The junction of the plug peripheral walls with a top surface of the plug is chamfered along the extent of the cylinder extension. A plurality of grooves are formed in the circumference of the plug at intervals along the extent of the cylinder; a substantial portion of the length of the grooves is disposed within the body. The grooves have lower ends which communicate with the chamber at the lower end of the plug, and upper ends which communicate with the exterior of the nozzle only through the plug peripheral walls and the chamfer. The surfaces of the grooves opposite the plug peripheral walls are inclined outwardly from the length of the plug. The plug between the grooves is engaged in surface-to-surface contact with the chamber walls.

United States Patent 11 1 Hruby, Jr.

1451 Nov. 20, 1973 FOUNTAIN NOZZLES FOR GENERATING PLURAL UNAERATED WATER STREAMS 52 U.S. c1 239/17, 239/552, 239/1910. 16 51 Int. Cl B05b 17/08 [58] Field of Search 239/552, 17, DIG. 16

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,863,100 6/1932 Coleman 239/552 2,675,068 4/1954 Gollus et al... 239/552 3,706,415 12/1972 Hruby, Jr 239/552 3,640,472 2/1972 Hruby, Jr. et al 239/552 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King AttorneyRobert L. Parker et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An ornamental fountain nozzle comprises an elongate body which defines therein a chamber having a lower water inlet opening and an upper water outlet opening. A plug is fixedly disposed across the chamber at the outlet opening. The plug has a portion of its length disposed within a portion of the chamber which has walls defining a cylinder of constant cross-sectional configuration and extending from the outlet opening along the chamber for a distance greater than the extent of the plug within the body. The plug has peripheral walls outside the body arranged to define an extension of the cylinder. The junction of the plug peripheral walls with a top surface of the plug is chamfered along the extent of the cylinder extension. A plurality of grooves are formed in the circumference of the plug at intervals along the extent of the cylinder; a substantial portion of the length of the grooves is disposed within the body. The grooves have lower ends which communicate with the chamber at the lower end of the plug, and upper ends which communicate with the exterior of the nozzle only through the plug peripheral walls and the charnfer. The surfaces of the grooves opposite the plug peripheral walls are inclined outwardly from the length of the plug. The plug between the grooves is engaged in surface-to-surface contact with the chamber walls.

FOUNTAIN NOZZLES FOR GENERATING PLURAL UNAERATED WATER STREAMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to liquid handling and, more particularly, to ornamental fountain nozzles arranged to discharge a plurality of separate unaerated water streams.

2. Review of the Prior Art My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,554 illustrates and describes first and second generation ornamental foun tain nozzles of the type to which this invention is addressed. A first generation nozzle of the present type is shown in FIG. 2 of the patent. The fountain nozzle there shown is comprised of an elongated tubular body having opposite open ends, and of an elongate plug disposed intimately within the body at the outlet end of the body such that a portion of the length of the plug is disposed outwardly from the body. A plurality of grooves are formed in the side walls of the plug and have their lower ends communicating with the chamber through the lower end of the plug. The grooves have their outer ends communicating with the exterior of the nozzle. Those surfaces of the grooves disposed opposite the plug circumferential surfaces are inclined out wardly from the length of the plug proceeding from the inlet to the outlet ends of the grooves.

As shown in FIG. 2 of the patent, in a first generation nozzle of the type under consideration, the plug is defined as a right circular cylinder having parallel top and bottom surfaces. The outlet ends of the several grooves were defined through the circumference of the plug above the outlet end of the body and also partially through the top surface of the plug.

FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,554 illustrates the second generation form of the present type of fountain nozzle in which the outer ends of the several grooves are defined only through the peripheral surfaces of the plug. No portion of the groove outlet openings is defined through the top surface of the plug.

It has been found that the second generation nozzle is substantially more free of fuzz or minute water droplets in the several discharge streams than is encountered in the discharge pattern produced by operation of first generation nozzles. The objective in nozzles of the type here under consideration is to produce plural unaerated water streams which are as crystal-clear as possible and which have little fuzz or minute droplets present in the discharge pattern, especially adjacent the fountain nozzle itself. The presence of fuzz or minute droplets in the discharge pattern detracts from the aesthetic properties of the pattern, particularly when the pattern is artifically illuminated, as at night.

In many areas of the country, the water used to operate fountains is very hard, i.e., contains considerable dissolved minerals, especially alkaline minerals. When hard water is passed through an ornamental fountain nozzle, formations of alkaline material are deposited around the nozzle outlet opening. In many cases, the presence of alkali deposits on the nozzle orifices and outlet openings does not adversely affect the discharge pattern produced by the nozzle. However, in nozzles of the type here under consideration, the presence of alkali deposits around the periphery of the several groove outlet openings adversely affects, often to a significant extent, the aesthetic properties of the fountain discharge pattern. Specifically, it has been found that the accumulation of alkali deposits around the outlet openings of the several grooves through which the unaerated water streams are discharged lead to the presence of fuzz and fine water droplets in association with the unaerated water streams.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides an improved fountain nozzle for discharging plural unaerated water streams. The present fountain nozzle is arranged to be considerably more unaffected by alkali deposits around the several water outlet openings than has heretofore been the case. It has been found that the present fountain nozzle represents as much as or more of an improvement over second generation fountain nozzles (see FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,554) as the second generation nozzle structure constitutes over the first generation nozzle structure (see FIG. 2 of this patent). In brief, the present improvement involves chamfering the upper peripheral rim of a second generation nozzle plug so that the grooves, through which the plural, separate, unaerated water streams are discharged from the nozzle, open to the exterior of the nozzle only through the cylindrical peripheral walls of the plug and through the chamfer. No portion of a groove outlet opening extends beyond the chamber into the upper surface of the plug.

In general, the present invention provides an ornamental fountain nozzle which comprises an elongate body defining a chamber having a lower water inlet with the top surface of the plug are chamfered. A plurality of grooves are formed at intervals in the circumference of the plug, and the grooves have a substantial portion of their length disposed within the body. The grooves have lower ends which communicate with the chamber at the lower ends of the plug. The upper ends of the grooves communicate with the exterior of the nozzle only through the plug peripheral walls and through the chamfer. The surfaces of the grooves disposed opposite the plug peripheral walls are inclined outwardly from the length of the plug. The plug between the grooves and within the body is engaged in surface-to-surface contact with the chamber walls.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features of this invention are more fully set forth in the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of this invention, which description is presented with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view, partially in cross-section, of a nozzle according to this invention, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view taken along line 22 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Ornamental fountain nozzle 10, shown in FIG. 1, includes an elongate, hollow, tubular body 11 which defines an elongate, straight, circularly cylindrical duct 12. The duct extends from a lower water inlet opening defined across a lower end 13 of the body to an upper water outlet opening defined across the upper open end 14 of the body. Adjacent its lower end, the body is arranged, as by external threads 15, to be connected to a suitably sized, preferably vertically disposed water discharge pipe or nozzle support base through which water at suitable pressure is applied to the nozzle for discharge by the nozzle of a characteristic ornamental discharge pattern. The discharge pattern is composed of a plurality of discrete unaerated diverging water streams concentric about an axis 16 of the nozzle.

A plug 17, which has substantial length between its opposite end surfaces 18 and 19 relative to the diameter of duct 12, is disposed across the duct at the upper end of the body. The plug is so disposed in the body that a minor portion of the length of the body is disposed above the upper end of the body. The location of the plug across the outlet end of the body produces a chamber 20 within the body below the plug and to which the body inlet opening communicates. Preferably the top 18 and bottom 19 plug surfaces are parallel to each other and are normal to the length of duct 12. The plug has a right circular cylindrical peripheral surface 21 which is sufficiently close to the diameter of duct 12 that, when the plug is disposed in the duct as shown, its peripheral surface is snugly and intimately engaged in contact with the duct walls around the entire surface of the plug except where the plug is recessed to definea plurality of grooves 22. The upper rim of the plug, i.e., the intersection of plug peripheral surface 21 with plug top surface 18, is chamfered (i.e., relieved) to define a chamfer surface 23 which extends circumferentially of the plug between the upper extent of the plug peripheral surface and the outer extent of the plug top surface. The chamfer angle 24 is on the order of about 20 degrees and is defined as the angle between chamfer surface 23 and an upward extension of the plug peripheral surface 21.

Preferably duct 12 is straight between its opposite ends through the body. In some instances, however, the duct may be other than straight between its opposite ends, and in these instances it is preferred that the duct be straight for a substantial distance away from the plug toward the inlet end of the body and that throughout this straight portion the duct be of constant crosssectional area and configuration to assure that the water which approaches grooves 22 flows straight into the grooves and does not swirl or the like. The presence of swirl or other turbulence in the water entering grooves 22 tends to be manifested by aeration of or instability in the several water streams discharged from nozzle 10.

Grooves 24 are defined in plug peripheral surface 21 at intervals about the cylindrical extent of the peripheral surface. The grooves communicate with chamber 20 through plug bottom surface 19 and communicate at their upper ends to the exterior of nozzle 10. The communication of the grooves to the exterior of the nozzle is only through the plug peripheral surface 21 and through chamfer surface 23. No portion of the outlet opening in any of grooves 22 lies within plug top surface 18.

As shown in FIG. 1, grooves 22 are tapered so that their inner surfaces 25, i.e., those surfaces disposed closest to axis 16 from the plug peripheral surfaces, are inclined outwardly from the nozzle axis proceeding from the inlet to the outlet ends of the grooves. Also,

as shown best in FIG. 2, the grooves have opposing wall surfaces 26 which are defined parallel to each other between the semicurcular inclined inner surfaces 25 of the grooves and the plug peripheral walls. Plug wall surfaces 26 intersect plug peripheral surface 21 at essentially right angles and are disposed parallel to the length of the plug.

The spacing of the grooves about the circumference of plug 17 is sufficient that a plurality of square-ended ribs 28 are defined about the circumference of the plug, one rib being disposed between and separating adjacent grooves. The ends of the ribs are engaged in intimate surface-to-surface contact with the inner walls of duct 12 throughout that portion of the length of the plug which is disposed within body tube 11.

The above-described relationship between the configuration of the grooves and the intimate cooperation of the plug within the body assures that the water discharge pattern produced by operation of nozzle 10 is as devoid as possible of any mist or fine spray. That is, a substantially right angle intersection between groove walls 26 and the walls of duct 12 eliminates, in the fountain discharge pattern, the production of thin sheets of water as would be encountered if the groove walls were merged smoothly or faired into substantial tangency with the duct walls at least adjacent those portions of the nozzle where the grooves open to the exterior of the nozzle. The presence of thin sheets of water in the discharge from nozzle 10 is to be avoided since such sheets rapidly break up, even in the absence of wind, into fine spray or mist.

It has been found that when nozzle 10 is operated for extended period of time on hard water, alkali deposits accumulate around the groove outlet openings to the same extent that alkali deposits have been found to accumulate in first and second generation nozzles, as described above. In the case of nozzle 10, however, the alkali deposits are formed on chamfer surface 23 in such a manner that the presence of the deposits does not interact with the water streams emerging from the several grooves. The alkali deposits have substantially less adverse effect upon the fountain discharge pattern in a given period of time than has heretofore been the case Except as specifically noted above with respect to chamfer surface 23 and with respect to the relationship between the groove outlet openings to the chamfer surfaces, noule 10 is substantially in accord with the disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,554 pertinent to the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereof and to plugs 65 and 105, shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, respectively, of the patent.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornamental fountain nozzle comprising an elongate body defining therein a chamber having a lower water inlet opening thereto and an upper water outlet opening therefrom, a plug fixedly disposed across the chamber at the outlet opening with a portion of the length of the plug disposed within a portion of the chamber adjacent the water outlet opening, the plug having peripheral walls outside the body defining an extension of said portion of the chamber, the junction of said peripheral walls with a top surface of the plug being chamfered, a plurality of grooves formed at intervals in the circumference of the plug with a substantial portion of their length disposed within the body, the grooves having lower ends communicating with the chamber at the lower end of the plug and her walls. upper ends communicating with the exterior of the noz- A nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the i zle only through said plug peripheral walls and said chamfer, the surfaces of the grooves opposite the plug peripheral walls being inclined outwardly from the length f the plug, the plug between the grooves being eral wall is on the order of about degrees. engaged in surface-to-surface contact with the chamcluded angle between the surface of the plug along the chamfer and an upward extension of the plug periph- 

1. An ornamental fountain nozzle comprising an elongate body defining therein a chamber having a lower water inlet opening thereto and an upper water outlet opening therefrom, a plug fixedly disposed across the chamber at the outlet opening with a portion of the length of the plug disposed within a portion of the chamber adjacent the water outlet opening, the plug having peripheral walls outside the body defining an extension of said portion of the chamber, the junction of said peripheral walls with a top surface of the plug being chamfered, a plurality of grooves formed at intervals in the circumference of the plug with a substantial portion of their length disposed within the body, the grooves having lower ends communicating with the chamber at the lower end of the plug and upper ends communicating with the exterior of the nozzle only through said plug peripheral walls and said chamfer, the surfaces of the grooves opposite the plug peripheral walls being inclined outwardly from the length of the plug, the plug between the grooves being engaged in surface-tosurface contact with the chamber walls.
 2. A nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the included angle between the surface of the pLug along the chamfer and an upward extension of the plug peripheral wall is on the order of about 20 degrees. 